People will teach lessons to BJP: Former minister

Former minister B Ramanath Rai said that the people of Dakshina Kannada district and state will teach lessons to the BJP which is responsible for disrupting peace in the society and failing to check the rise in the price of essential commodities.

“The BJP which is raking emotional issues on caste, religion, patriotism will repent for its activities in the future. After the church attacks, the Congress won seven seats in Dakshina Kannada,” he told media persons in Mangaluru.

“There is a wrong notion among the BJP that people no longer vote for development works and are engaged in raking up emotional issues to seek votes. The BJP has failed to respond to the woes of the people, which the people have understood in the last few years. They will teach lessons to those who disrupt peace in the upcoming election,” he said.

Coming down heavily on BJP state President Nalin Kumar Kateel’s claim that Congress was responsible for riots, Rai asked the leader to prove it by furnishing evidence. "None of the Congress activist's names figures in FIRs related to murders in the state. The Congress leaders are not involved in delivering provocative speeches," he said.

To a query on a few Hindu organisations who have initiated a campaign demanding Hindu MLA in Mangalore Assembly constituency which is now represented by U T Khader of the Congress, the former minister said “it may be their (BJP’s) tactic for the election. We have our own agenda and tactics to win the election. There is an anti-incumbency wave in the state. People will think twice while looking at the rise in inflation and the price of essential commodities along with construction materials while casting their votes in the election."

Terming PSI recruitment scams as a serious issue, he said that PSIs play a vital role in maintaining law and order in the state. The citizens are well aware of which party the prime accused belongs to. To mislead the people, the Centre has asked the states to cut VAT on petrol and diesel for giving relief to consumers.

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